Directors' Retreat 2006: Austin, Texas

The Getty Conservation Institute held its third Directors' Retreat for Conservation Education in partnership with the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) and the Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation (ANAGPIC) from May 23 to May 25, 2006 at the Crossings conference center in Austin, Texas. The retreat focused on the use of Web-based technology to achieve teaching and learning goals in conservation education.

Facilitated discussion on distance learning and new technologies, titled eNdless Possibilities?, led by Michael Anderson, manager of Course Development and Technology, University of Texas System TeleCampus. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

The GCI, AIC and ANAGPIC share an interest in using the Web as an educational tool, and in understanding the potential opportunities it offers to conservation educators. The specific objectives of the retreat were to:

give participants an idea of the uses and impact of technology on both higher and continuing education;

develop a better understanding of the potential of Web technology for conservation educators; and

consider ways of building upon the growing collective experience for using the Web in both teaching and learning.

Graphic representation of the discussion on emerging trends in e-learning and technology. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

Small group discussion on Web-based teaching and learning for conservation. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

The main speakers at the retreat were Michael Anderson, Manager, Course Development and Technology for the University of Texas System TeleCampus, and Mary Lynne Rice-Lively, Associate Dean, University of Texas at Austin School of Information. The meeting discussions were facilitated by Sherwood and Eunice Shankland.

Participants came from academic programs and conservation organizations in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. Several of the academic programs had experience in using the Web in either classroom-based or distance education courses. As a result, during the three days of the retreat discussions drew upon the experiences of these participants while also exploring—through both facilitated discussions and small group exercises—additional Internet-based opportunities for teaching, learning, and collaboration. Different approaches and tools for both classroom-based teaching and blended and distance learning were presented. The retreat also included an overview of open source initiatives within academe, and how they may impact the way didactic resources are created, used, and shared in the future. By the end of the retreat, specific ideas for collaborative activities had been identified including, a pilot project on blended learning; development of an on-line science tutorial; and an on-line resource for conservation educators.

Small group discussion on Web-based teaching and learning for conservation. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

Discussion of small group results by Debra Hess Norris, Director of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, University of Delaware. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

On the final day of the retreat, participants visited the Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record at the School of Information, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center Conservation Department, and the new Blanton Museum of Art—all part of the University of Texas at Austin.

Retreat participants continue discussions informally at the end of the day. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

Visit to The Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record at the School of Information, University of Texas. Photo: Foekje Boersma.

2006 Directors' Retreat Participants

Catherine Atkinson
Head of Conservation Training and DevelopmentBritish Library